The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have finished off the regular season with a 24-6 loss to the Cronulla Sharks – but will now turn their attention to the 2025 Finals Series.
After finishing third on the NRL ladder, the Bulldogs will head to Melbourne to play in a qualifying final against the Storm.
They will do so though without outside backs Bronson Xerri and Marcelo Montoya after they suffered a head knock and ankle injury respectively in Saturday’s loss.
30,368 fans were on deck to cheer on the boys in Blue and White – and were treated to a pre-game performance from Grammy Award-winning band Wolfmother, who played their hit song ‘Joker and the Thief’ as Captain Stephen Crichton led his side out at Accor Stadium.
The attendance took the Bulldogs’ Home game season average to 30,696 – which is the highest in the Club’s history.
But unfortunately, things didn’t go to plan with the side copping a major blow in the opening five minutes when Xerri was ruled out of the game due to a head knock.
That sparked a reshuffle and Matt Burton shifted to centre, Bailey Hayward went to five-eighth, while Reed Mahoney was injected into the game early at hooker.
The Dogs adjusted quickly but the new-look left edge eventually found themselves under pressure with Sharks back-rower Billy Burns crossing the line for the first try of the game.
Canterbury-Bankstown soon suffered another setback with barnstorming second-rower Viliame Kikau forced from the field for a HIA after colliding with Toby Rudolf.
Cronulla pounced on this opportunity and scored back-to-back tries to go into the break with an 18-0 lead.
Kikau was given the all clear at half time but the Bulldogs returned to the field looking a little different again with Burton returning to five-eighth, Hayward going to lock and the versatile Jacob Preston moving into the centres.
The Dogs needed to make a mark on the game and they did exactly that five minutes into the second half when Enari Tuala scored a thrilling length-of-the-field try to get his side on the board.
But the Sharks hit back soon after through fill-in five-eighth Daniel Atkinson, who was promoted to the starting side to replace the injured Braydon Trindall. Nicho Hynes added the extras to seal the result.
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 24 (Burns, Ramien, Brailey, Atkinson tries; Hynes 4 goals) def Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 6 (Tuala try; Burton 1 goal)
